The Tents of Shem
“‘And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped [shoken, shakan] according to their tribes; and the Spirit of G-d came upon him. Then he took up his oracle and said: ‘…How lovely are your tents [ohaleicha], O Jacob! Your dwellings [mish’k’noteicha], O Israel! … Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.’”
Numbers 24:2, 5, 9b
Introduction
- We learned that man has always needed to respond to G-d’s Voice in terms of obedience (sh’ma). The Voice was there on Sinai as well and the words were recorded on Tablets. In the New Covenant named in Jer 31:33-34, the Voice is the same – the words are the same – only the writing material has changed: The HEART.
- We have learned that in answer to man’s sin and the lack of fellowship, G-d promised a Seed. The Seed was to come from woman, and the Seed was somehow going to solve the “problems” of the breach of fellowship, and the infinite/finite relationship. Messiah is somehow the overlapping of the Infinite and the finite.
Blessed be HaShem, the G-d of Shem
- Gen 9:26: This is the first instance of G-d being referred to in the personal ‘possessive’. The next instance is in Gen 24:27 with regard to Him being Abraham’s G-d. Throughout the TaNaKh He is called “the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob.” He is a personal G-d – but equally important He identifies Himself through the men of His choosing.
- These two verses broadly prophesy of the entire human history. Most importantly, they prophesy regarding the eternal connection between Shem and his descendants and the Almighy, HaShem - the holy Name: a yod, a hay, a vav, and a hay.
He Will Dwell in the Tents of Shem
- Numerous theologies have used this passage for their purposes, such as to justify African slavery, etc. – but the focus ironically is not the curse upon Canaan, but the blessing for Shem.
- 9:26-27: The chiastic poetry indicates the ‘He’ in v. 27 is G-d Himself. Regardless, the tents of Shem are a focus of Divine favor desirable to both Ham and Japheth’s descendants.
- Shem is rightfully seen as the spiritual father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- The keys to unlocking this: ‘in tents’ [b’ohalei, from ohel], and ‘dwell’ [sh’kon, from sh’kan].
- With the Tabernacle [Mish’kan], the word Ohel was applied to the place of meeting with the Presence of G-d. The word used to describe the manifested presence of G-d was the Sh’kinah (from sh’kan).
Back to the Garden
- Cast from the Garden because of his sin, man could no longer enjoy the manifest presence of G-d [the Sh’kinah] meeting and dwelling with him.
- First usage of sh’kan [to manifest or dwell] is Gen 3:24, where G-d places [sh’kan] flaming cherubim to guard the way to the Tree of Life.
- Ex 25:8: When the construction of the Tabernacle [the Mish’kan] was commanded, it was done for this purpose, that, “that I [G-d] may dwell among them.”
- The Mish’kan had cherubim sitting above the Ark of the Covenant, and embroidered with flaming swords on the Veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The cherubim were ‘guarding the way’ to the Tree of Life (Prov 3:18). The ‘tents’ of Shem.
The Sh’kinah
- Ex 24:16-17: the Kavod [weight, glory] sh’kan-ed [abode] on the mountain, and the Voice called to Moses. The appearance of the kavod was like fire.
- Ex 25:8: The purpose for the Mish’kan: to sh’kan with Israel. The Hebrew is interesting here. It better means, “that I may dwell in them.” G-d wants to dwell with/in Israel (Shem’s physical and spiritual descendants).
- Sanctuary = mik’dosh, from the word kadosh = holy, separate. In other words, it was to be a place that was separate and distinct for Him. This is not as much a moral aspect as it is an ‘other-than’ aspect. This more directly relates to the issue of the Infinite G-d, and how He can dwell with finite man without destroying him.
- The Mish’kan was built based upon the pattern in Heaven (Ex 25:9). Its purpose was not symbolic. It was G-d’s real answer to a real set of problems: How the Infinite and pure G-d could dwell among sinful and finite creatures.
- It was however meant as well to point to another prophetic fulfillment regarding the ‘tents of Shem’ – which takes us back to the Promised Seed. The Promised Seed, would come from Woman (Gen 3:8-15) and would come from Shem’s descendants (Gen 9:26-27).
Gentiles Drawn
- Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: “Blessed be HaShem, the G-d of Shem, whose work is righteous…HaShem shall beautify the borders of Japhet, and his sons shall be proselyted and dwell in the schools of Shem..”
- Deut 4:5-9: Israel, through their obedience, was to be G-d’s beacon to the nations.
- lIs 2:2-3; Is 60:3-5: Yet future. “the house of the G-d of Jacob” – sounds like “the tents of Shem”?
- Acts 15:14-18: Apostles saw the great influx of Gentiles to ‘the Way’ (i.e. the believing sect within Judaism of the day) as a fulfillment of Amos and Gen 9:26-27.
- Amos 9:11-12: The ‘borders’ of the Gentiles were being expanded within ‘the Way’ – and the tent of Shem was the place of blessing.
- John 4:22: There is dwelling with G-d apart from Israel. None. Those who cut themselves off from Israel, spiritually or physically cut themselves off from the blessing of ‘Shem’s tents’.
The Dance Steps
- From our parable – how can this pointing to the fact that G-d would draw all to Himself and His dwelling place (ultimately Messiah) be a ‘dance step’ with Messiah in the ‘ballroom’ of Scripture?
- Rom 3:2; 11:11-18: Unlike those who hold to ‘Replacement Theologies’ we should cling to physical Israel. They remain our spiritual root.
- Our Master’s family is now our family. Our identity is always connected to the Jews’.
- Consequently, some ways of applying these dance
steps:
- Root out all anti-Semitic beliefs/theologies from your life – some are not obvious (Rom 11:29).
- Be a testimony of Messiah to the Jewish people – to biblical jealousy – but not to a ‘new religion’ (Rom 11:14).
- Love the Jewish people, their culture, etc. (Rom 11:28).
- Support the state of Israel or local Jewish relief (Matt 25:45).
Summary
- Through the last three weeks we have seen Messiah revealed as the Creative Voice. We have seen Him in the Voice that commands obedience and following. We have seen Him as the Promised Seed – and now we have the hint that the Promised Seed is somehow related to the ‘tents of Shem’.
- G-d will forever dwell in the ‘tents of Shem’ – if you have found Messiah Yeshua, that is where you found Him. You have been grafted in, and now share the same spiritual heritage. Don’t be arrogant and leave those ‘tents’.
“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel…” Numbers 24:5